The Meeker herald., 1887-10-22
" hiss 0Iver.

I DutlhR tHe lhtt tTOuDlt IODy ulbIt
good use II his tiine-not only reporting
war news" hut took notes on the con
dition Of the country. climate, resources
ant! other matters which he kept for
future use. and this is the result Of his
observations:
I How few know the beauty and the
resources of the White River country
Colorow and the Utes have long been
alive To its resources, but by recent
events White river is lost TO the utes as
resource forever.
Upper White river is AS attractive as
Lower White river IL repellgnt, yet
each is Invaluable, the tirs; AS summer
the latter as winter range. Upper
White is nj this season place Of green
grlss, clear, cold waters alive with fish
with game. Lower White is u region
OF 'malpai.r bad land hills, muddy
alAsii water and desolats looking
stretches of cact,is-coyered plains. Yet
the oily dwarf sweet white sage grows
abundaniiy there, rendering II one Of
fall cattle sutnmering on the range In
Upper Whit. are gathered and driven
down To winter in Lower White, or
they naturally go down as the SHOWS
deepen above. Everywhere west OF the
Continental Divide the system Of sum
mer and winter ranges Is u necessity. =
All the White River country Is abun-
dainty stocked. II not, In fact, over
stocked. There ARE. however. n few op-
phriuniiirs for small her'ismcn To obtain
range privileges by purchasing the ranch
and hay bottoms oi some granger who
viii sell.
Tn. general formation of the country
Is unfayofabi- for running extensive
herds. Snmr of III. little daiti-s and
farm, along the rlvcr are perfectly
,-'su,ifui. One Thing tina, will strike
i the average Colorado farmer rs heavenly
il that the fall Of the river Is ~ rapid
that nearly every granger /, sole and
entire owner of his private trrigaiing
ditch. The bottom, ntc u warm. deep.
ivo.- ioain. enabling the raising OF every
fruit. grain and vegetable of the north
temperate gone. The hiilsid-s afc of
West Colorado adobe iha, do not wash
Irrigation ditch-, two feet Wide by six
feet deep which w.r' dug six years ago
are still In operation. not having csv-d
or iill-d In any. On Lower White, near
itang-iy. arc u number of fnc ptu-iuc-
tive little farms. hut the nature of the
bottom grasses Ia very course. much of
II bring sani grass. and later snnc liner
grasses sus, b- cultivated to insure
good hay.
Tho cattle Of White river nrc all well
graded. During several weeks ram
bling over that country the writer saw
not single scrub COW or lean brute on
the range.
White river u natural horse coun.
try. The horse thriv-s and imi ruv.,
hi, breed over there. The Norman
Pcrch.ron Horse company hns u herd
above Mcckcr In charge of George 5.
wi,icr They have some splendid Nor.
man grades of their own breeding.
When these arr thrown on the market
ttlVN VIII ~ Nt''' "ftf s"' ''"-
pact. and vas,i, superior To grades Of
the sam. kind bred east Of the Rocky
mountains.
j. l. Mediation owns herd of west
crn mares from which lie Is getting
some Hnc Young horses Among his
stud are Captain Webb" and Donald .
Normans. and "Sc,pi"." u iiamblc,o.
nian. The average Pacific Slope horse.
man believes In IIamblc;onians. and
gets som- line foals from liamblc,onian
sircs Mr.. Mediation Is also interested
In the sawmili near Mcckcr. and has n
large band Of heavy Oregon sheep In
Utah.
Mons Eugene Gillcy has snug little
ranch and herd Of horses from which he
Is raising some very tine saddlcfs and
ail.purposc horses.
The s,ockmcn OF the White river EN-
brace many who spend their winters in
l.cadvillc and Denver and whose fami-
lies have cntrcc to the best society in
both cities. They dispense n generous
hospitality nj home. In which respect
tne Si"G'is ae NV ohV "Na Vu'h"
them.
Meeker. the central supply point Of
the White River country. was till re-.
Gently military post. On abandoning
the post aud surrcndcring II To the pub
lie domain rs a town.site tho soldiers
quarters and officers cottages were sold
| at auction. In several instances good,
comfortable houses and homes were Sc
cured ut the nominal sum OF SO and
siW. Lots with goo titles are still
selling In Mccker at SO to 500. The
Midland and Rio Grande will soon reach
White river. At Meekcr is the place
for young mechanics and energetic
young men of practical habits TO plant
homes and grow up with the country.
Among representative stockmcn on
White river are: l. u Brasher. sccre-
tary White River Stockgrowers associ-
alton; r. 7. Aver. A. ". Davis. Ezra
Flemming. A. J. Gregory. W. W. Cav.
$. $. Green. r lfefTron. II. II. Eddy.
A. G. Hatch. ". r. Thompson. 1Iule,;
X Torrencc. John ". Lowell. A. J.
Ryan, W. d. Loring. Luxen X Brown,
L. j. Hills. Charles Limberg. VIM. Nc
Dowcli. j. l.. Mediation. Howard Mil
Ter. Wm. II. Miller, Newton Major,
John 4 Nihiurk \ H. Nelson Charles